Seventh NSW Blues player to miss Ashes tour with Australia
Liam Martin, who would have been one of the first picked for the end-of-season tour with the Kangaroos, has confirmed he is expecting his first child with fiancée Chelsea, and is ready to stay at home for the birth.
Martin had to miss last year's Pacific Championships because of a shoulder injury, but was one of the back-rowers for Australia in 2023, and also a member of the World Cup-winning squad in 2022.
Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton, Brian To'o, Spencer Leniu and most likely Payne Haas will commit to playing for Samoa at the end of the year, while Stefano Utoikamanu, who has also played for Samoa, said he was keen to honour his father's heritage and represent Tonga.
Brad Fittler this week pulled out of the race to replace Mal Meninga as Kangaroos coach, saying he wanted to focus on his media commitments with Channel Nine. There has been a push from senior Maroons for Cameron Smith to take over from Meninga, who relinquished the post once he took over as head coach of the new Perth Bears franchise.
Kevin Walters and even Wayne Bennett, who have both worked as representative coaches, remain in the mix.
Martin said he never wanted to pass up an opportunity to play Test football, but did not want to be stranded on the other side of the world when his first child was born.
'We're due in October – I'm pretty excited – but it means I'll probably have to pull out of the Ashes,' Martin said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
24 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Wallabies announced XV to face Fiji, with star Joseph Suaalii set to return from broken jaw
Australian rugby's $5 million man Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has been given the all-clear to play his first Test on home soil when the injury-hit Wallabies take on Fiji at Newcastle on Sunday in a warm-up for the British & Irish Lions series. Suaalii has been sidelined since mid-May when he broke his jaw playing for New South Wales against Queensland but the 21-year-old NRL convert has made a quick recovery and been named for the Wallabies at outside centre. His return will come as a massive boost to an Australian side, already weakened by the absence of several senior players, including two-time John Eales medallist Rob Valetini, halfback Jake Gordon and giant lock Will Skelton, who captained the Wallabies at the last World Cup. All three are carrying injuries and hopeful of being fit for the first Test against the Lions, kicking off July 19. Queensland Reds backrower Harry Wilson retains the captaincy, at least for the match against Fiji, after head coach Joe Schmidt appointed him as skipper last year. Langi Gleeson replaced Valetini at blindside flanker with Carlo Tizzano named on the bench as the reserve loose forward. With Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams retained as the starting locks, Tom Hooper comes into the side as the backup second row in the absence of Skelton. Livewire Queensland halfback Tate McDermott will feed the scrum with Nic White on the bench. Elsewhere, electric winger Max Jorgensen returned from an ankle injury to earn a spot in the starting side in the left wing, with Harry Potter on the other side. Former skipper Dave Porecki was named as the starting hooker in his first match in the gold jersey since the World Cup. The biggest surprise was the selection of veteran prop James Slipper as the starting loose-head. Angus Bell has been the preferred starter because he's such a powerful ball runner but will come off the bench against Fiji. Despite the injuries, Schmidt said his reshuffled side had gelled well ahead of what is expected to be a highly physical clash with the Pacific Islanders. 'The whole squad has worked hard on and off the field and reconnected well with a short runway from our assembly through to the Test on Sunday against Fiji.' 'I think the players and the wider management are keen to get underway, especially in front of a big crowd here in Newcastle, as we kick off an exciting but incredibly demanding 2025 Test match schedule.'
Perth Now
30 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Porecki gets Wallabies nod to erase Fiji demons
Dave Porecki is back in the Wallabies line-up for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where he captained Australia to a historic loss to Fiji. The hooker was named to face Fiji on Sunday in Newcastle in a forward pack that is missing big guns Will Skelton and Rob Valetini, who both have calf injuries. Waratahs skipper Jake Gordon and Red playmaker Tom Lynagh were also unavailable for selection as they make their way back from injury. Starting at No.8, Harry Wilson has retained the Wallabies captaincy after leading the side on the northern hemisphere spring tour. The Wallabies are gearing up for their first Test against the British and Irish Lions in Brisbane on July 19, but are aware Fiji could rock those preparations. Porecki is one of nine players backing up from their last clash during the 2023 tournament in France, where Fiji posted their first victory over the Wallabies in 69 years, winning 22-15. He captained Australia in three World Cup matches with the Wallabies bowing out at the pool stage for the first time. Porecki then missed all of 2024 due to a chronic Achilles issue and then battled a calf problem, but the 32-year-old did enough in the back end of the NSW season to impress Test coach Joe Schmidt. "The whole squad has worked hard on and off the field and reconnected well with a short runway from our assembly through to the Test on Sunday against Fiji," Schmidt said in a statement."I think the players and the wider management are keen to get underway, especially in front of a big crowd here in Newcastle, as we kick off an exciting but incredibly demanding 2025 Test match schedule." Porecki will anchor an experienced front row of James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa, with Jeremy Williams and Nick Frost the locks after five appearances in 2024. Waratahs No.8 Langi Gleeson will start at blindside flanker with Fraser McReight on the other side of the scrum. Tate McDermott and Noah Lolesio are the starting halves, while Len Ikitau will link in the centres with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who is playing is first Test in Australia. Harry Potter in also making his home debut with Max Jorgensen the other wing and fullback Tom Wright rounding out the backline. Wallabies: James Slipper, David Porecki, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (c), Tate McDermott, Noah Lolesio, Max Jorgensen, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Harry Potter, Tom Wright . Res: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Filipo Daugunu.
News.com.au
40 minutes ago
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Richmond coach Adem Yze on Tom Lynch's suspension, future
Richmond coach Adem Yze told all his players the act of retaliation which earned Tom Lynch a five game was one the club 'can't tolerate'. But he won't temper the premiership forward's 'white line fever' despite Lynch copping the season's longest suspension for his swinging right hand on Adelaide defender Jordon Butts at the weekend and wants the 32-year-old to play on into 2026. Lynch hadn't had a possession against the Crows before his frustrations boiled over late in the first half. Yze took Lynch and his young Tigers teammates through the incident in detail making it clear that acts of retaliation weren't acceptable as the club attempts to handle the loss of the key goalkicker. 'That's what we went through, not only we're going to miss him and it's our youngest line, we need him out there,' he said. 'But we needed to stress to Jonty Faull, Tom Sims and Harry Armstrong that that action we can't tolerate as a club. 'They know that, they know Lynchy didn't mean any harm by it, he just let things spill over. 'We had those discussions in house and he's got to help our players in other ways for five weeks.' Yze said the loss of Lynch was a heavy blow to the Tigers' greenest line with obvious forward replacements thin. But while Richmond is set to put its immediate goalkicking future in the hands of inexperienced forwards, Yze ruled out blanketing Lynch's aggressive nature. 'He's always had white line fever, that's when he plays his best footy and it just tipped over on the weekend,' he said. 'The consequences are going to be really harsh, he's going to sit out for five weeks, we've got a fit player that's sitting out which is disappointing for us as a footy club. 'But we're never going to temper that, obviously the way he's retaliated was wrong and he knows that, but when he plays his best, he plays on edge. 'We'll keep helping him with that.' Lynch, 32, is out of contract at the end of the season. Yze doesn't expect the forward to hang up the boots however, saying list manager Blair Hartley and Lynch were in discussions about extending his career. 'No doubt, Blair is in that having those discussions with him right now,' he said. 'That one incident, the week that he's had, is never going to dent anything that he's done. 'Not only in previous to me being here but even the last few weeks, the guidance he's giving some of our forwards is going to be really important, not only next year but that's years to come. 'Having his magnet available has been critical for us and it's going to be really hurtful now that we don't, we're going to see how much we miss him over the next five weeks. 'No doubt he's going to be an important part of the next few years, for sure.'
